Bills confirm reports of Pettine as Browns' HC candidate

The Buffalo Bills have granted the Cleveland Browns permission to interview defensive coordinator Mike Pettine for their head coaching vacancy.

Pettine will enter his 13th year in the NFL coaching ranks in 2014 and sixth as a defensive coordinator. He joined the Bills staff in January of 2013 as defensive coordinator under head coach Doug Marrone, and served in the same capacity with the New York Jets from 2009-12, where he oversaw a defense that finished in the top 10 in total defense each year.

Prior to joining the Jets, Pettine was a member of the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching staff for seven years from 2002-08. In his last four seasons with the Ravens, he coached the outside linebackers as part of a defensive unit that ranked fifth (2005), first (2006), sixth (2007) and second (2008) in the NFL. Before being promoted to a position coach, Pettine was a defensive assistant working with the defensive line in 2004 after two years serving as coaching and video assistant and in a quality control role.

Before entering the NFL coaching ranks, Pettine was the head coach at North Penn (Towamencin Township, PA). He led the school to 45 wins in five years including an 11-2 mark in 1999. He also served as the head coach at William Tennent (Warminster, PA) High School for two years, leading the team to a school-record nine wins in 1996.